Wheel cover



Jan. 27, 1959 G. A. LYON 2,

' WHEEL COVER Original Filed Oct. 12, 1953 .ETIETZZZIT George A/berfLyon b if M 5 United States Patent Ofiice 2,871,062 Patented Jan. 27,1959 WHEEL COVER George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich.

9 Claims. (Cl. 30137) The present application is a division of myapplication Serial No. 385,471 filed October 12, 1953, now Patent Number2,757,976.

This invention relates to a wheel cover and more particularly to aspoked wheel cover for automobile wheels.

An object of this invention is to provide a wheel cover with alternatingspokes and retaining fingers which lends itself to economicalmanufacture on a large production scale.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wheel cover with coverretaining fingers cooperable with a rim flange of the cover and alsowith resilient spokes clampingly cooperable with the body part of thecover.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel assemblyincluding a flanged tire rim and a wheel body that has circumferentiallyspaced wheel cover retaining means and with a cover for. disposition atthe outer side of the wheel including a flanged portion that isretainingly engageable with the retaining means on the wheel body and aportion that has resilient means pressed out wardly for engaging aflange of the tire rim for aiding in centering the cover over the wheel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved coverfor disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel havinga flangedtire rim and with the cover including novel centering finger meansarranged to be placed under increased retaining engagement with the tirerim incident to completing assembly of the cover with the wheel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel spoked wheelcover.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an outer side elevational view of a wheel structureembodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary radial sectional view takensubstantially on the line II--II of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the radially outerportion of the cover showing the relationship of retaining fingers andspokes.

In the drawing there is shown a conventional type of automobile tire andwheel assembly including a conventional pneumatic tire and tube assembly9 mounted in the customary way upon a multi-flanged, drop-center type oftire rim 10. The tire rim 10 includes an outer terminal flange 11, agenerally axial intermediate flange 12 that slopes slightly radiallyoutwardly, a generally radial side flange 13 that faces generallyaxially outwardly, and a base flange 14 that faces generally radiallyinwardly and has attached thereto a supporting body member 15 thatprovides air circulating wheel openings 8 adjacent juncture with thetire rim.

Carried by the body or load bearing part or member 15 and adapted toprovide a radially inner portion of a cover assembly for disposition atthe outer side of 22v the wheel is a detachable central hub cap member17.

Attachment of the inner or hub cap cover member 17 to the wheel iseffected through the medium of an underturned annular skirt aflording anaxially rearwardly or inwardly extending annular flange portion 18having a continuous resilient edge bead 19 at its axially inner terminusadapted to be snapped over spaced bumps or protuberances 20 affordingcircumferentially spaced wheel cover retaining means through which thehub cap cover member is fastened to the wheel in assembly.

According to the present invention, as a radially outer portion of thecover assembly for overlying the tire rim 10 and the portion of thewheel body 15 radially outwardly from the edge defined by the hub capinner cover portion 17, there is provided a wheel cover member 40including generally radially inwardly extending spokes 41 which arecircumferentially spaced and at their radially outer termini connectedtogether in one piece in a reinforcing outer annular marginal coverportion 42 provided with an underturned extremity bead-like reinforcingand finishing flange 42a adapted in assembly with the wheel to lieagainst the tip of the terminal; flange 11. From the underturnedreinforcing bead flange 42a the outer marginal cover portion 42 extendsgenerally radially and axially inwardly over the inner portion of theterminal flange and into generally telescoped'spaced relation to theintermediate flange 12.

Each of the spokes 41 is longitudinally corrugated or reinforced by apeak or rib as shown at 43 which merges to a substantial extent at theradially outer terminus of the rib into the annular body 42 of the coverand beyond the outer ends of the openings defined between the spokes.Each of the spokes 41 is thus similar to an angular rib which has thepeak or crest thereof projecting generally axially outwardly and withthe channeled inner side of the rib opening generally axially inwardly.

Intermediately each of the rib-like spokes 41 is preferably generallyaxially inwardly bent or angled substantially dog leg fashion as at 43a.This affords, a radial-,

of the rib as at 43b, and a flattened free extremity 44. projects ashort distance radially inwardly beyond the The flattened extremities44' flattened shoulder 43b. project radially inwardly to a diameterwhich is smaller than the radially outer diametrical extremity of theinner cover member 17 so as to be engageable behind the underturnedmargin of the cover member 17. Initially the spoke elements 41, and moreparticularly the radially inner legs thereof extend axially outwardly toa position as indicated in dot dash outline in Fig. 2 wherein after thecover member 40 has been applied to the outer side of the wheel with thereinforced outer marginal bead 42a resting against the terminal flange11, the inner clamping termini 44 of the spokes are spaced axiallyoutwardly from the wheel body. Then, when the hub cap inner cover member17 is pushed axially inwardly against the termini 44 in pressing the hubcap into engagement with the retaining bumps 20, the spoke elements 41are flexed axially inwardly to the full line position wherein thetermini 44 are clamped against'the wheel body. This places the spokeelements 41 under resilient tension.

Alternating with the spokes 41 are angular cover retaining fingers 45which extend rearwardly or axially inwardly from the cover 40 and moreparticularly the radially inner edge defined by the cover portion 42 3atthe openings between the spoke elements 41. The fingers 45 are in theform of resilient means pressed generally axially inwardly and radiallyoutwardly in the cover 40 from material derived from between therespective spokes 41 Each of the fingers 45 includes a generally axiallyinwardly and radially outwardly angled leg 46 and a generally axiallyinwardly and radially inwardly angled end or terminal flange portion 47providing at juncture thereof a generally radially outwardly projectinghump shoulder or pad 48 for sliding gripping tensicned frictionalengagement with the radially inwardly facing surface of'the'intermediate tire rim flange 12. A principal function of the fingers 45is to serve as centering means for the cover member 40. In addition, ofcourse, the fingers 45 do have some cover retaining function clue to thefrictional engagement with the flange 12 so that in initially applyingthe cover member 40 to the outer side ofthe wheel it will be heldon withsuflicient grip by the centering and'retaining fingers 45 so that itwill not fall away until the inner cover member 17 has been applied tothe center of the wheel and for maintaining the cover member 40 on thewheel through the clamping engagement with the spoke termini 44'. Ofcourse, when the cover assembly is entirely on the wheel the appearanceisw as-though a full disk type of cover were on the wheel with thespokes 41 connecting radially inner and outer portions of the cover.

By virtue of the manner in which the rib-spokes 41 merge with the bodyof the cover portion 42 radially outwardly beyond'the juncture of theretaining finger legs 46 with cover portion 42, the axially inwarddeflectional tensioning of the fairly stiff rib spokes by the hub capfrom the dot dash outline position to the full outline position in Fig.2 imposes a generally radially outward tensioning of the fingers 45 tothereby enhance the retaining grip of the fingers on the rim. In view ofthe fact that the radially inner leg portions of the spokes 41 arelonger than the radially outer leg portions, advantageous leverage isexerted by the inner leg portions upon the outer leg portions andthereby upon the retaining fingers 45 disposed intermediate the outershorter leg portions of the rib.

In applying the cover to the outer side of the wheel, the cover memberis first placed over the wheel with the fingers generally aligned andcentered with the axially outer portion of the intermediate flange 12and then pressing the cover member 40- into the wheel so that thefingers 45 are resiliently stressed as the gripping shoulders 48 thereofare cammed along the inclined surface of the rim flange 12. Thereafter,the hub cap inner cover member 17 is applied over the inner end portions44 of the spokes to resiliently stress and clamp the same to the bodypart 15 as the hub cap is snapped into retaining engagement with thewheel carried cover retaining bumps or projections 20.

Removal of the cover assembly is easily ei'iected by first inserting apry-ofi' tool such as a screwdriver behind the margin of the inner hubcap cover member 17, intermediate the spaced ends of the rib-spokes 41and ejecting the hub cap member 17. Thereafter the pry-off tool may beinserted behind the outer reinforced edge 42a of the cover member 40 forthereby prying the cover member 40 from the Wheel. Of course, when thehub cap member 17 is removed from the wheel, the spokes 41 can springaxially outwardly away from the wheel body 15 and thereby relieve thegripping tension of the retaining fingers 45 so as to facilitate removalof the cover member 40.

It will be appreciated that both portions of the cover assembly, namelythe hub cap cover inner member 17 and the outer ring member 40 may bemade from suitable sheet metal stamped or drawn to form.

It will be understood that modifications and varia- 4 tionsmay beefiected without departing fromthe scope of the novel concepts of thepresent invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel assembly including a wheel with a central part having aplurality of circumferentially spaced wheel cover retaining means and adrop center rim having an annular generally radially inwardly facingflange, a wheel cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheelhaving a resilient rearwardly extending annular flange portion forretaining engagement with said retaining means, and another annularportion spaced radially outwardly from the first named annular flangeportion and generally telescoped into said radially facing rim flange,said last named portion having resilient means pressed therefrom andgenerally radially outwardly therebehind for engaging said rim flangefor aiding in centering the cover over the wheel when inserting thecover in place, said resilient means comprising a series ofcircumferentially spaced generally axially inwardly and radiallyoutwardly angled fingers having generally radially inwardly turnedterminals providing at juncture with the fingers generally radiallyoutwardly facing shoulders frictionally grippingly engageable with therim flange.

2. In a wheel assembly including a wheel with a central part having aplurality of circumferentially spaced wheel cover retaining means and adrop center rim having an annular generally radially inwardly facingflange, a' wheel cover for' disposition at the outer side of the wheelhaving a resilient rear-wardly extending annular flange portion forretaining engagement with said retaining means, and another annularportion spaced radially outwardly from the first named annular flangeportion and generally telescoped into' said radially facing rim flange,saidlast named portion having resilient means pressed therefromand'generally radially outwardly therebehind for engaging said rimflange for aiding in'centering the cover over the wheel when insertingthe cover in place, said resilient means being disposed radiallyinwardly from the radially outer extremities of tensioning leveragespokes that project radially iuwardlyto a'djacent said first mentionedrearwardly" extending annular flange and are maintained underaxially'inward leverage ten'sioning thrust by said engagement with saidretaining means by said first mentioned annular flange portion:

3. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and a wheel body, with aircirculation openings adjacent juncture of the rim and body, a coverconstruction for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including acircular inner cover portion engageable retainingly with retaining meanson the wheel body and a circular radially outer cover portion foroverlying the tire rim and having generally radially extending spokesconnecting the cover portions with openings between the spokes foraircriculation therethrough and through said wheel openings, sa'idradially outer cover: portion having extending generally axiaiiyinwardly and radially outwardly therefrom tire rim engaging andcentering resilient fingers each of which is provided with a generallyradially and axially inwardly extending terminal providing at juncturewith the finger a generally radially outwardly facing pad shoulder forresilient frictional gripping of anopposing flange of the tire rim.

4. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and a wheel body, a coverconstruction for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including acircular radially inner cover portion engageable retainingly withretaining means on the wheel body and a circular radially outer coverportion for overlying the tire rim and having generally radiallyextending rib spokes connecting the cover portions with openings betweenthe spokes, said radially outer cover portion having extending generallyaxially inwardly and radiallyoutwardly therefrom adjacent to theradially outer ends of the spokes tire rim engaging and centeringresilient fingers each of which is provided with a generally radiallyand axially inwardly extending terminal providing at juncture with thefinger a generally radially outwardly facing pad shoulder for resilientfrictional gripping of an opposing flange of the tire rim, said ribspokes being maintained under resilient leverage tension by theengagement of the inner cover portion with the wheel body whereby toexert resilient thrust toward said retaining fingers for enhancing thegripping of the fingers against the tire rim.

5. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acircular cover member having spaced from a margin thereof generallyaxially inwardly extending wheel engaging fingers, and projecting fromclosely adjacent thereto and extending radially therebeyond angulartensioning lever spoke ribs movable generally axially betweennon-tensioning and tensioning positions wherein said fingers aretensionably urged generally radially for thrusting against an opposingwheel part.

6.vIn a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acircular cover member having spaced from a margin thereof generallyaxially inwardly extending wheel engaging fingers, and projecting fromclosely adjacent thereto and extending radially therebeyond angulartensioning lever spoke ribs movable generally axially betweennon-tensioning and tensioning positions wherein said fingers aretensionably urged generally radially for thrusting against an opposingwheel part, said spoke ribs being of generally dog-leg structure withshort legs adjacent said fingers and longer legs projecting therebeyond.

7. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acircular cover member having a plurality of generally radially extendingspoke ribs with free distal end portions for engagement by a secondcover member, and wheel engaging fingers on said circular cover memberextending from edges of the circular cover member between the adjacentspokes and spaced radially beyond the 6 proximal end portions of thespokes toward the distal end portions.

8. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acircular cover member having projecting generally radially therefrom aplurality of spoke ribs of transversely hollow rib shape with the distalend portions shouldered off short of the distal ends and with flatteneddistal end extremities which are engageable behind a clamping covermember.

9. In a vehicle running wheel assembly including a wheel with a centralpart having a plurality of circumferentially spaced wheel coverretaining means and a drop center rim having an annular generallyradially inwardly facing flange, a wheel cover for disposition at theouter side of the wheel having a rearwardly extending annular flangeportion for retaining engagement with said retaining means, and anotherannular portion spaced radially outwardly from the first named annularflange portion and generally telescoped into said radially facing rimflange, said last named portion having resilient tabs pressed fromgenerally axially extending openings therein and extending generallyaxially in the same direction as the openings from which pressed anddirected obliquely gen erally radially outwardly for engaging said rimflange intermediately thereof for aiding in centering the cover over thewheel when inserting the cover in place and serving as cushioning meansto resist road shocks in the travel of the wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.167,271 McLeod July 15, 1952 2,368,238 Lyon Jan. 30, 1945 2,504,995 LyonApr. 25, 1950 2,557,124 Lyon June 19, 1951

